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MW Community: Can we make Realistic NPCs possible?
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RPGDot Forums > Morrowind - General

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Volitare
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MW Community: Can we make Realistic NPCs possible?
   

I was browsing through a few Morrowind MOD Forums when it dawned on me that the TES Construction Set is an immensly powerful tool. The Community has the ability to play a very active role in the very evolution of Morrowind.

This game is fabulous in many, many ways. The Immersive quality of this RPG is unprecedented. One observation that I can't help but to agree with is the NPCs lack of "Personality." So, I was wondering if the Mod Community, or the Community as a whole, could come together and devise a way to make the NPCs more 'realistic.'

For instance, scheduled NPC was a huge factor in the Immersive Quality of Gothic. Now I realize that it is an unrealistic request for the Development Team to schedule the enormous number of NPCs that exist in Morrowind but could the community do it in bits and pieces?

Is what I ask technically possible or is it more trouble then it's worth? Personally I think if the population simply adhered to the time cycle, they might not necessarily have to cook and go to work or what not, just be around when you would expect them to, I think it would add to the Immersion Quality of this already awesome game.

What do you gys think? Is this possible? Are there any other projects that could add to the Immersive Quality of Morrowind?
Post Fri May 10, 2002 4:00 am
 
Shifter
Leader of the Senate
Leader of the Senate




Joined: 06 May 2002
Posts: 303
Location: Morrowind
   

I think that would be great..having people INSIDE at night..etc...

Might be possible but would take quite a while probably..
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Post Fri May 10, 2002 4:05 am
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My hope is if enough people are interested in more Realistic NPCs and it is possible to do it in the TES:CS we might be able to have a large number of people working on bits and pieces of it.

Or perhaps, if TES:CS works this way, a formula could be developed to govern all the NPCs regarding Day/Night Cycles.

I don't think people could possibly be opposed to this Project, the question is whether it can be done, and will there be enough people interested in doing at least the significant parts (Cities and Large Towns) of Morrowind.
Post Fri May 10, 2002 4:31 am
 
GrumpySmurf
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 09 May 2002
Posts: 2
Location: Boston
   

Just program it so they are not all telling me to hurry the h*ll up would be fine with me. =)
Post Fri May 10, 2002 5:46 pm
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Mmmmsoylentgreen
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 09 May 2002
Posts: 4
   

How about a tavern mod. There's nothing worse than coming home from a hard day of adventuring to discover that the local pub is even deader than that band of pirates you just introduced your sword to. They need a bunch of dancing, obnoxious drunks and some ambient sound. It's depressing! I've learned to avoid all taverns, wandering instead into the nearest empty house where I stand alone in the corner, drinking my mead in silence.
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"If you're killed you've lost a very important part of your life." - Brooke Shields
Post Fri May 10, 2002 8:30 pm
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Yeah! A Tavern Mod would also be effective in adding a little Personality to the NPCs. Somebody used "Wax Musuem" to describe the personality of NPCs in the game and I can't help but to agree. The may be "None-Players" but shouldn't they still be allowed to have Character, maybe toss a few Ales with friends in the local tavern after work?

In another post I added this idea for the Night:

-Alleyway Vendors-

You want to trade/sell/buy wares in the middle of the night? Any honest law-abiding shopkeeper would have closed up shop by then (Morrowind Worker's Act: Thou shalt not exceed an 8 hour work day). You shouldn't be completely screwed though, all the "honest" shopkeeps have shut down but the night opens up the seedy world of "Don't ask me where I got it, and don't tell anyone who you got it from" Alleyway Vendors.

Thiefs should have people to associate with right? Chances are the scum that actually respects a bad reputation aren't walking around during the day. These undesirable characters should only be lurking around in the dead of the night, smoking skoona (sp?) and selling their black market wares and whatever else they come across.

Will you risk the reputation of your "Good" character by doing business with these undesirables? Or will your Thief get caught up in the highly profitable yet highly risky black market. I think you can imagine the possibilites of an Underworld Culture that only comes out at night.


Having some of those Undesirable Characters in the Taverns would be a great way to introduce the Underworld to your character.
Post Fri May 10, 2002 9:15 pm
 
Guest







   

quote:
They need a bunch of dancing, obnoxious drunks and some ambient sound. It's depressing! I've learned to avoid all taverns, wandering instead into the nearest empty house where I stand alone in the corner, drinking my mead in silence.


Damn, I can't think of the town name but there's a club with three scantily clad dancing babes in it. It's a slave club, not densely populated by regulars but there are a few hanging around. If I remember right when I tried talking to the dancers they said stuff like "Can't you see I'm busy?" I ended up killing the female owner as part of a quest and haven't been back there since. Really sorry I can't think of the town name and I'm at work and on my way out.
Post Fri May 10, 2002 9:46 pm
 
Caelistis
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 07 May 2002
Posts: 9
Something that boggles me....
   

Morrowind has a rating of "T" albeit you can murder, rather bloodily, everything in your path if you wish. Yet, you can't buy a slave, can't own a slave and you sure as Hell can't have a pleasure slave or a gladiator slave.

So, then, outside of a cheap plot gimmick, what's the use of having "slaves"?

Now, I adore Morrowind, it touches a wonder in me that I haven't had for RPGs since Eye of the Beholder 2 but this is one game that I wish had NOT opted for the "parent friendly, safe with society" road and actually followed wholly through with the "totally open ended environment" that was so ardently pimped.

Further, I understand that in Tamriel, slavery isn't a well grooved with thing. However, in Morrowind...it IS and there's a LOT of them. Apparently the Emperor doesn't care enough to stop it there (as the in game fiction states) but, the gamers, are limited artificially by the developers to what WE can do with it.

Tis this that prompted me to really get down with the Construction Set and learn this.
Post Sat May 11, 2002 4:29 pm
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Terwin
Head Merchant
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Joined: 14 Jul 2001
Posts: 51
I think you can
   

I posted a question about NPC scheduling on the official boards a few months back. And they said you can do it with the editor. It would just take a long time. So, i think i'm going to start out small. Maybe build a house, and have an NPC live there. And create some type of schedule for him. But, i think if a lot of people got together to so this, it would be possible.
Post Sat May 11, 2002 6:15 pm
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Volitare
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So now we know Scheduled NPC is POSSIBLE.

Now, all we have to do is find out what kind of interest level is out in the community for Scheduled NPCs.

Perhaps I'll mount a "NPC Enhancement Campaign."
Post Sun May 12, 2002 4:52 pm
 
Bob
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 05 May 2002
Posts: 12
Location: London Canada
   

my advice is to go to the moding forum with a PLAN ready perhaps have a list of every NPC in the gmae then divvy it up to everyone who wants to help.
Post Sun May 12, 2002 7:11 pm
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Volitare
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Good Advice Bob.

That was my plan to begin with. I'm a bit of a Marketing/Campaign Strategist. You can be sure if I plan to mount the "NPC Enhancement Campaign" it will be complete and comprehensive. I'm just working out some ideas on how this Task can be organized.

Oh and if anyone has ideas or an opinion on whether they would like this done or not please post.

Thanks for sharing your opinions for those who have.
Post Sun May 12, 2002 8:34 pm
 



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